Battle in the Sand
by Greycrescent
Summary: Two hunters take on the scourge of the desert.


"Dammit Zaros!" I yelled over the roar of the beast. "What do you mean you forgot potions?"

He smiled at me from behind his faceplate as he ducked a tail swipe.

"It's fine, I figured you brought some."

"Yeah for me!"

I blocked a horn thrust with my blade and rolled to the left, the defensive strength of my Basarios armor rushing back out of my Blue Claw Blade.

"You barely get scratched, hiding behind that too big lobster claw of yours!"

Zaros was using his Blango Decimator, a wicked longsword infused with ice. It was fast and brought the cold sting of a frozen night, but was nowhere near the size or strength of my greatsword. He gave a quick jab at the monster's feet and was rewarded with a bellow of pain. As the diablos lunged around to stop the irritation at its side, the tail came flying back towards me, as a reminder to not try anything. I quickly reminded him not to swing his tail at 6-foot swords. As the club-like tail limply flopped beside me, its owner landed with a crash at his other enemy's feet. Zaros reached in with three blinding fast slashes across its bony face, aiming for the weak eyes.

The wounded beast snapped at him and regained its footing. An inch breadth sparred Zaros as he leaped just in time out of the way of the charging wyvern.

"Now if that had hit you where would you be? I asked you before we left if you had everything you needed!" I shouted furiously putting up my sword.(greatswords aren't the most maneuverable of weapons, you learn to draw it when you need it)

"One, if it had hit I would probably be somewhere in that direction." He said pointing towards the dark shape of our angered foe. "Enjoying a lovely view from atop the horn of stumpy over there, two, I did bring all _I_ need because you brought the potions."

"Don't preach your circular logic at you me you idiot. Watch out, he's going under." The diablos used its strong wing claws and legs to force the sand aside and escape underground. We both stood still for a minute; the dry heat of the desert bearing down on us in our full armor as we waited. I brought my sword back in place with a quick movement. The ground started to rumble as sand flew through the air marking the passage of the immense beast moving towards us. I braced myself with my blue weapon in front of me as a shield to angle the killer horns away in case I was its target. I needn't have bothered though as the trail turned towards my companion.

"Why is it always me?" He yelled as he began a dead sprint.

"Because you carry that frozen toothpick around instead of something you can defend yourself with." I yelled back, sheathing my weapon and giving chase. As the beast ripped free of the ground intent on spearing my friend it received a surprise as Zaros jumped to the right and lashed out with his weapon. The freezing cold blade sliced right through both horns at a slant.

"Oh great, now you pissed it off."

Zaros landed gracefully beside the beast as it bellowed in agony and rage.

"Careful, he is going under." I shouted as I pulled a small grey device from my pack. Injured and enraged, the diablos retreated underground to continue its assault. I armed the device, waited a few seconds, and threw. A deafening screech ripped through the air as the sonic bomb went off. The diablos exploded out of the ground, both legs still trapped in the sand. I drew my sword and charged it from behind. As it thrashed around roaring its pain and humiliation at the sky, I ran up its back, leapt, and delivered a terribly destructive downward slice. The sharpness of my blade and the force of my swing forced it deep into the behemoth's skull. As I flew over I released my grip on the sword and landed next to Zaros. (Not as gracefully of course as I landed flat on my back) By the time I stood up the thrashing has ceased.

"All right I got the tail but you gave it the shave." I said as I pulled my weapon free.

"You still have those potions right?"

I looked back to see Zaros staring at his left arm, where a shard of one of the beast's horn was lodged.

"Son-of-a-bitch." I muttered as I walked over rummaging through my bag. I ripped the six inch spike free and checked the wound. Zaros let out a grunt of pain.

"Could be a little more gentle, that's very tender." He grumbled.

"I'm sorry, would you like to for me to put it back and try again? Ok, looks pretty clean, didn't even catch the bone. Tarok is going to be pissed though, put a hole right through the armor, he will have to patch it when we get back." I handed him the vial of green liquid. The muscles began knitting themselves back together after the first swallow.

"Now we just have to get this big boy home." I patted the defeated monster's head. "You go to base camp and signal the cart driver. I will keep the cephalos from eating our prize. "

*DISCLAIMER* Monster Hunter and all related content is the property of CAPCOM. I make no claims to ownership to anything other than the story involving said property. *DISCLAIMER*


End file.
